Fowvler m



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FOVLER M. RAY, OF GATSKILL, NEW' YORK.

MANNER OF CONSTRUC'IING AND APPLYING BUMPERS AND DRAFT SPRINGS ONRAILROAD CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,201, dated July 29, 1841.

To all whom may concern.'

Be it known that I, FowLnR M. Rar, of Catskill, in the county of Greeneand State of New York, have invented certain improvements in the mannerof constructing and of applying the springs used as bumper and as draftsprings in railroad-cars and other vehicles used on railroads; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionthereof.

The springs used by me consist of flat and straight leaves, or plates,of spring steel, sometimes consisting of two, three or more leaves ofequal length, and placed so as to extend across the frame of the car,from side to side, where they are received within pockets of a peculiarconstruct-ion to be presently explained. Instead of making the springswith leaves all of equal length, I sometimes form them, in part, withleaves of unequal lengths, as hereinafter described; but in all casesthese leaves are to be so arranged and combined as that their power ofresistance shall increase in a degree proportioned to the force exertedupon them.

In Figures l and 2, I have represented two modifications of the mannerof constructing my spring.

In each of these figures A, A, is a part of the frame of a car, r A,being a portion of the side timbers.

B, is a bar which slides freely through A, A, and which embraces themiddle of the spring C. The bar B, is that to which the connecting linksare to be attached for the purpose of drawing the car, and which mayalso be used as a bumper'.

In Fig. l, the spring is composed of such number of leaves as may bepreferred, all of equal length and width, perfectly flat, and placedupon each other. D, D, are projecting pieces forming the pockets withinwhich the ends of the springs are to be received. These pockets are madeo-f metal, or in part of wood and in part of metal; and they areregularly curved on their inner' sides, against which the springs whenbent are to bear, as represented in the drawing. In use these pocketsare provided with a top and bottom plate to check the edges of thesprings. In this figure the springs are embraced not only by thissliding bar B,

but also by the check pieces E E, which are curved, and operate uponsaid springs in the same manner with the curved pieces D, D, whichoperation is as follows. `When this sliding bar B, is moved in eitherdirection it laps on two 0f the curved portions of D, D, and also on twoof the curved portions of the check pieces E, E, and its acting part isthereby progressively shortened in exact proportion to the force exertedupon it.

In Fig. Q, the spring C, is formed in part of leaves of unequal length.AIt consists, like that first described, of one, two, or more leaves ofthe full length of the spring, and of one, two, or more placed on eachside of these, successively diminishing in length. In this drawing thereare two center leaves which extend to the bottom of the pockets, and twoshorter leaves on each side of these, the two longer of which terminateat a, a, within the pieces D, D, and the other' two at 7), I). In thisarrangement the check pieces E, E, used in Fig. l, are omitted, therequired stiffness being derived from the springs themselves. The leavesa, a, when the pressure becomes considerable, bear upon the pieces D, D,of the pockets. The spring, under this arrangement, is stiffer and lessyielding in its first action than that first described. When the springsare to be used for draft only, and are not to operate as bumper springs,two of the pieces constituting the pockets, and one of thoseconstituting the check pieces, under the first modification, may bestraight, and the shorter leaves under the second modification, may beplaced on one side only of the longer springs.

Having thus fully described the nature of my improvement in the mannerof constructing and applying the springs used as bumper and as draftsprings on railroad cars, what I claim therein as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combining of springs composed of straight leaves or plates of steel,in the manner set forth, with pockets curved at their sides, in suchmanner as that the flexure of said springs shall cause them to diminish,progressively, in their effective length, and consequently to increasein their power of resistance. I claim, in combination with said springsand pockets, so constructed and arrange-d, the employment of the curvedcheck pieces to Cooperate with the curved pockets, when the leaves areall of one length. I claim also, the substituting for said check pieces,and the Combining With the long leaves which extend to the bottom of thepockets, such number of shorter leaves as may be found necessary, and nthe Inanner herein described.

FOVLER M. RAY. Witnesses:

THos. P. JONES, GEORGE VEST.

